College and Major: Mississippi State University College of Agriculture, Animal and Dairy Science Production

Hometown: Fayette, Alabama

Career Goals: Artificial insemination technician in the livestock reproduction field.

Hobby or Fun Fact: Anything outside. I like being in the barn with my dogs and barn cat. I also like fishing or anything that allows me to just enjoy the sunshine.

Thoughts from Leeanna

Preinternship

There are several things I hope to achieve this summer during my internship. Personally, I would like to make new connections. I cannot wait to get to know the other interns more and hopefully develop friendships. I would also like to make connections with possible future employers and mentors who can help me with my career goals. Professionally, I want to grow as a leader. I want to improve my communication, time management, and other skills I will use in the workplace. The fact that Alabama Extension is a diverse organization interests me. There is a job for just about everything. I think it is so cool to meet people who specialize in different areas and hear about what they do on a day-to-day basis. I have always looked up to my local county coordinator and would love to have a job like hers one day. This internship is allowing me to get a more in-depth view of the roles she has and how our local Extension office works.

This summer, I want to learn how to communicate more effectively. I have never had a problem speaking in front of a crowd, but I would like to fine-tune this skill for speaking in front of business professionals. I also want to improve my time management skills. I have a goal of being early and getting tasks done before the deadline.

Postinternship

Overall, I loved my internship with Alabama Extension this summer. I was able to develop multiple skills that will help me in the future in my professional career. I was able to make connections with people in the Extension world and the agriculture community that will be to my benefit in the future. I also developed new friendships with other interns. I feel that I have grown professionally and have bettered myself to be able to enter the workforce after graduation. My favorite memory from this summer was successfully planning and hosting a pasture walk-through event. I spent the majority of my summer preparing for this event and was able to make it happen July 25. I was able to give a presentation to local producers on stockpiling forages and felt very confident afterwards.

My biggest takeaway from this internship is how truly diverse Alabama Extension is. Being able to see all the different programs and specialties that are covered under Extension has been insightful. It has definitely made me take interest in pursuing a career with Alabama Extension after graduation in May. I would tell anyone who is considering this internship to go for it. You will be surprised at all the cool things you get to be a part of and you will love the experience. Put your mind on a goal and work toward it.